The Enugu State High Court has ordered the British government to pay £420 million in compensation to the families of 21 Nigerian coal miners killed by colonial forces in 1949.
In a historic ruling, the Enugu State High Court has directed the British government to pay £420 million in compensation to the families of 21 Nigerian coal miners who were killed by colonial forces at the Iva Valley coal mine in 1949. Presiding judge Anthony Onovo declared that the killings were unlawful and constituted an extrajudicial violation of the right to life. The court also ordered the UK to issue a formal apology through the victims’ lawyers and in national newspapers in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with each family set to receive £20 million plus post-judgment interest of 10 percent per annum until fully paid. The court rejected claims for pre-judgment interest and exemplary damages.
The lawsuit, filed by human rights activist Greg Onoh, demanded recognition of liability and full reparations for the victims’ families. Respondents included the British government, the Secretary of State for the Foreign Office, the head of the Commonwealth, as well as the Nigerian government and Attorney-General of the Federation. Judge Onovo urged the Nigerian government to engage diplomatically with the UK within 60 days to ensure that the reparations are delivered and justice is implemented.
The massacre occurred on November 1, 1949, when miners went on strike demanding better wages and safer working conditions. The British colonial authorities ordered the mine closed, but when the miners resisted, FS Philip, the colonial Police Chief, reportedly commanded soldiers to open fire. “The killings were unlawful and an extrajudicial violation of the right to life,” Judge Onovo affirmed, underscoring the historical injustice suffered by the victims and their families.